The Chinese Kitchen is equally useful whether you are selecting your first Chinese cookbook or adding to an already substantial collection. This encyclopedic volume is crammed with detailed information, recipes you know yet probably have not made at home, and color photographs from China that bring the culture and culinary interests of the country compellingly to life. Opening with a useful explanation of the fundamentals of Chinese cooking, you learn how all food is viewed for its seasonal
These dumplings were traditionally eaten for breakfast on New Years Day in North China. Their popularity is such that they are now eaten all year around all over China, and indeed all over the world.
Manufacture: Jiaozi making is a sociable affair: on Sundays, families and friends gather to make large quantities of them, amid much banter. When jiaozi are served as a full meal, you are supposed to eat at least twenty.
Buying and Storing: Frozen pork dumplings made by machine are available in Oriental stores. They are used by most Chinese restaurants for convenience.
The standard filling of pork and Chinese cabbage can be varied: the meat can be lamb or beef, and the vegetable can be spinach or Chinese chives.
Makes 80-90 dumplings
Preparation time about 1 1/2 hours plus 30 minutes standing time
Cooking time 20-25 minutes
For the dough:
4 cups (1 lb.) all purpose flour
About 14 fl. oz. water
Dry flour for dusting
For the filling:
Half a head (1 1/2 lb.) Chinese cabbage
1 lb. ground pork
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Sift the flour into a bowl, slowly pour in the water and mix to a firm dough. Knead until smooth and soft, then cover with a damp cloth and let stand for 25-30 minutes.
Separate the Chinese cabbage and blanch in a pan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until soft. Drain, finely chop, then mix with the rest of the ingredients to make the filling.
Lightly dust a work surface with dry flour. Knead and roll the dough into a long sausage about 1 inch in diameter. Cut the sausage into 80-90 small pieces. Flatten each piece with the palm of your hand, then use a rolling pin to rollout each piece into a thin circle about 2 1/2-inches in diameter.
Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each circle. Fold into a semi-circle, and pinch the edges firmly so that the dumpling is tightly sealed. Place the dumplings on a tray lightly dusted with dry flour, and cover with a damp cloth until ready for cooking. (Any uncooked dumplings should be frozen rather than refrigerated.)
Bring 1 quart (32 oz.) water to a rolling boil, and drop in about 20 dumplings, one by one. Stir gently with chopsticks to prevent them sticking together. Cover and bring back to the boil. Uncover and add about 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz.) cold water, then bring back to the boil once more (uncovered). Repeat this process twice more. Remove and drain the dumplings, and serve hot with a dipping sauce. Any leftovers should be re-heated not by poaching, but by shallow-frying them as for Pot-Stickers - see below.
